Electrostatic apparatus.



PATENTED JUNE 20, 1905.

L. I. BLAKE. ELECTROSTATIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1904.

Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

LUGI'EN I. BLAKE, OF LATVRENCIG, KANSAS.

ELECTROSTATIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,751, dated June 20,1905.

Application filed June 9, 1904 Serial No. 211,749.

To (1 7.117107% it 71m concern.-

Yle it known that 1, LUCIEN I. BLAKE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Lawrence, in the county of Douglas and State ofKansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectrostatic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification,taken in connection with the accol'npanying drawings, which form a partof the same.

This invention relates to electrostatic apparatus, and relatesespecially to apparatus for the generation of static electricity bymeans of which the continued and certain development of electricity ofthis kind can be assured without the usual interference from moisture,dust, or other atmospheric causes.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-mimeral refersto similar parts in both figures, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly insection, indicating diagrammatically apparatus embodying this invention.Fig. 2 is a partial transverse section of the same.

.In the illustrated embodiment of this invention an electrostaticgenerator of the influence type is indicated, the stationary plates 4:being mounted on a suitable base 3, and the rotaryplates 5 are mountedon a shaft 7, running in the hearings 6 and alternately arranged withrespect to the stators. It is of course understood that the rotors 5 arerapidly revolved by any desired means and cooperate with the stators andwith suitable collecting apparatus to generate static electricity ofhigh potential, which is supplied to the discharge-rods 1, mounted, asindicated, on the insulating-supports 2. This influence-machine isindicated as being of the well-known Toepler liloltz construction,although, of course, other kinds of electric machines may be used, suchas \Vimshurst.

Suitable jets of dry air are supplied to the generator, preferably so asto impinge upon the plates and other parts to be insulated, and in thismanner the continued operation of the machine is made more certain,since high insulation is effectively maintained. The jetnozzles 9 may begiven a ring form, as indicated, and mounted between the plates of themachine. These nozzles are shown as flattened to economize space and asprovided with air-holes 10, so that the jets of air or other gasissuingfrom the nozzles maysubstantially impinge upon the plates. Theinsulatingsupports 2 are also shown as provided with airnozzles 12,which are shown as having a ring form inclosing the supports and asprovided with jet-openings 13, so that the jets impinge upon thesupport. A suitable shield 11, formed, of course, of insulatingmaterial, is preferably provided adjacent the jet-noz zle and inclosingthe support at this point to more effectively direct the jets of air orgas against the support and maintain its insulated condition. Ifdesired, other shields 8 may be used upon the supports, whichsubstantially inclose the same and prevent the deposit of moisture orother conducting material upon these insulating-supports. Thejet-nozzles should be provided with air, gas, or vapor of non-conductingcharacter. Dry air operates efiiciently for this purpose. A suitablepump, having the cylinder 21 and the operating mechanism 22, including acrank and connecting-rod, may be used to force air through theconnection 19 into a suitable drier 16. As indicated, the drier has agrid 20, upon which rests a suitable drying material, such as calciumchlorid, or, if desired, glass-wool impregnatedjn some cases with asuitable absorbing material may be used in the drier, or the air orother gas may be bubbled through gasolene or any othersuitableinsulatingsubstance. Fromthedrier the air is forced through theair pipe 17, which is connected by the pipes 14.,of insulatingmatcrial,with the nozzles cooperating with the supports and by thesimilar pipes 15 with the nozzles sumilying air-jets to the plates.Suitable valves 24 allow for a discharge of this air at other pointswithin the case 23, which may inclose the whole machine when desired,the moisture ozone and other objectionable products thus being displacedand kept away from the machine.

Electrostatic machines when supplied with jets of air or gas inaccordance with this invention operate in a very etlicient and reliablemanner. The deposit of moisture upon the plates and other parts isprevented, and the insulation of the apparatus is maintained high, sothat destructive leakage is prevented. These machines can thus beoperated with certainty even under adverse atmospheric conditions Wherethe atmosphere contains considerable moisture, steam, or suspended dust.It is of course understood that those familiar With this art may makemany modifications in the number, form, and proportion of the parts ofthis apparatus. Parts of the same may be employed Without using theWhole and parts may be used in connection with other devices Withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention or losing the advantages ofthe same. 1 do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the details ofthe disclosure which has been made in this case; but

What I claim as new and What I desire to secure byLetters Patent is setforth in the appended claims:

. 1. In electrostatic apparatus, an influencemachine to generate staticelectricity, a ring nozzle cooperating With a plate of said machine, ashield mounted on an insulating-support of said machine and providedwith a nozzle, a pump, a drier and air-pipes connected With said nozzlesto supply jets of dry air in substantial impingement upon said plate andsaid support.

2. In electrostatic apparatus,an electrostatic generator comprisingplates, a nozzle cooperating With one of said plates, shields mounted onthe insulating-supports of said machine, nozzles in said shields, andmeans to supply an insulating-gas to said nozzles to form jets adjacentsaid plate and said supports.

3. In electrostatic apparatus, a generator comprising plates to producestatic electricity and means to supply jets of dry air adjacent one ofsaid plates to maintain the electric insulation thereof.

4. In electrostatic apparatus, a generator comprising plates to producestatic electricity and means to supply a jet of insulating-gas adjacentone of said plates to maintain the insulation thereof.

5. In electrical apparatus, aninsulatingbody and means to supply a jetof insulatinggas adjacent the surface of said body to maintain theinsulation thereof.

LUCIEN I. BLAKE.

\Vitnesses:

MARY E. MORSE, H. D. VVHITMAN.

